Closure



April 1941- F'. \(ASSALLO 2,237,396

CLOSURE FiledJan. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l raj" z I f, i [I A iiorneys April 8, 1941. P. VASSALLO 2,237,396

CLOSURE Filed Jan. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill A iiornys Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE- Peter Vassallo, Avalon, N. 5.

Application January 13, 1940, Serial No. 313,795

2 Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in closures and more particularly to the closure illustrated in my Patent No. 2,- 142,464, issued January 3, 1939, and improvements thereon.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a closure especially adapted for refrigerators which can be readily opened and closed at will with a minimum loss of cold air from the interior of the refrigerator.

Another important oloject of the invention is to provide a closure especially adapted for refrigerators which involves doors of the sliding type which will remain in any desired open position pending removal of what is desired from the refrigerator.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide closure means which will conserve space in that no excess space is required for the opening and closing thereof.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of a refrigerator equipped with the improved closure.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2- 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational View of one of Y the doors.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line ure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can b seen in the drawings that the invention is incorporated in a refrigerator structure which is generally re ferred to by numeral 5. The improved closure structure is generally referred to by numeral '6 and, of course, is mounted in the front Wall 7 of the refrigerator.

The front Wall "I has a plurality of door opene pocket l6 in the portion of the wall 1 above the door openings.

The underlying door I! and the door IE! will be construed as the outside doors and the doors l2 and H! as the inside doors. The door I! operates through a slot 20 in the overlying divider t3 and is capable of resting in th groove I 4 of the underlying divider l3 as is shown in Figure 2 and as do the doors I 9 and l8. In other words, each divider serves as a guide for one door and as a rest for the other door. The front wall 1 has guide grooves therein at the door openings B, 9, It and H denoted by numeral 2| to guide the doors. Shelves 22 extend inwardly of the refrigerator from each divider I 3 and from the stoop 23.

As shown in Figure 3, each of the doors consists of a fram a in which is mounted a Window pane b.

Each vertical edge portion of the door is rabbeted as at 24 to accommodate a bowed spring 25. Each of these springs is formed with a slot 26 in each end thereof through which a screw 21 is disposed, this screw passing through a Washer 28, the latter bearing against the spring. Obviously, these springs Wipe the side walls of the grooves 2| and the inside of the pocket It, as well as the slots 20, to the end that the doors can be held in practically any desired elevated position while articles are being removed from the shelves 22.

While the foregoing specification sets fiorth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed herein-after.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: p

1. In a cabinet, an enclosure having a plurality of vertically arranged and closely spaced openings in one wall thereof, shelves in the enclosure vertically spaced and each being on a horizontal plane with the portion of said wall between two openings, said portions between the openings defining dividers, closures vertically slidable in the openings, each of said dividers having a slot therein through which an underlying closure can be moved, each of said dividers also being formed with a groove for receiving the overlying closure edge.

2. In a cabinet, an enclosure having a plurality of vertically arranged and closely spaced open.- ings in one wall thereof, shelves in the enclosure vertically spaced and each being on a horizontal plane with the portion of said wall between two openings, said portions between the openings defining dividers, olosures verbioaliy sli-dable in the openings, each of said dividers having a slot therein. thnough which an underlying closure can be moved, each of said dividers 5 also being formed with a. groove I'or receiving the overlying closure edge, the vertical edges of the waiis at the openings being formed with guide grooves, one side of each of the closures adjacent each vertical edge portion thereof being formed with a. channel, a. curved strip spring in each of the ohannels, each of the springs having its end portions slotted and a. retaining element disposed through each of the slots and into the closure.

PETER VASSALLO. 

